This simple recipe is a must for all summer gatherings, cookouts, and picnics!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Classic recipe for potlucks and picnics.
- The BEST potato salad recipe ever and it's simple to make.
- Just enough creamy dressing to make it delicious without drowning out the fresh flavors.
My mom's homemade potato salad, like her macaroni salad, is simple but has tons of flavor - and I'm giving you plenty of tips and tricks to make it legendary!
By the way, it's even better the next day!
Next time try this unique roasted sweet potato salad for a change from the classic potato salad recipe
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
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Ingredient notes...
- Almost any kind of potatoes are work in this easy recipe. I think the Yukon Gold variety is the best because they have thin skins, hold their shape, and I don't have to peel them!
- Use a sweet type onion like Vidalia or 1015. Red onion adds pretty color but is too strong, in my opinion.
- I like plain yellow mustard in this but dijon is great, too.
- Apple cider vinegar has the flavor you want. After all, it's what mom used.
🔪 Instructions
This recipe is made with simple ingredients but it relies on the flavors and textures being perfectly balanced. Too much mayo and it will be bland. Too much mustard and it will be too tangy.
Here's how to get it just right - the best creamy potato salad you ever put on a picnic table!
- Place eggs in a medium saucepan filled with cold water and hard cook them.
- Dice the raw potatoes. Be sure to peel Russet potatoes. No need to peel them if you're using Yukon Golds or other thin skinned potato.
- Cook potatoes in a large pot filled with salted water until just fork tender. Don't overcook. Drain well.
- Chop the onion and celery.
- Peel and chop the eggs.
- Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, and mustard in a small bowl.
- Add enough evaporated milk to make it like a thin yogurt (think Yoplait)
- Mix the celery, onion, and warm potatoes in a large bowl and pour the dressing over.
- Stir well and chill for at least 4 hours. Sprinkle with paprika before serving.
🥄 Equipment
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You'll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
🥫 Storage
Store potato salad in a bowl tightly covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container. Be sure to refrigerate it promptly and keep it refrigerated.
If it's been out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours throw it out - don't take chances. Food safety is important!
This is one of those summer side dishes that doesn't freeze well.
🎥 Video
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📖 Variations
- You can substitute sour cream or plain Greek yogurt for part of the mayonnaise in this recipe if you'd like a tangy potato salad.
- If you're not a mayo fan then use Miracle Whip.
- Leave out the eggs if you don't like them.
- Omit the mustard if you don't care for it.
- Stir in chopped sweet pickles or dill pickles.
- Use pickle juice instead of evaporated milk to thin the mayonnaise mixture.
- Stir in a little crisp cooked bacon just before serving.
💭 Tips
Expert Tip- Always keep your potato salad COLD. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve, keep the bowl on ice if you're serving outside, and cover and put away leftovers promptly!
You know, everyone has an idea of how classic potato salad should be made and there's definitely lots of room for your own personal twists! Here are some of my favorite tips to help you become an expert at this summer side dish!
- Instead of boiling potatoes in salted water boil them in chicken or vegetable bouillon for a pop of extra flavor.
- If you're using baby potatoes cut them in half so the dressing can soak into the potato a bit.
- Add a little bbq sauce or hot sauce to the dressing for extra zing.
- Use red potatoes and/or red onions for more color.
- Sometimes I use the tiny Yukon Gold potatoes (the size of a big marble) or fingerling potatoes and leave them whole.
- If you want a more creamy texture you can mash some of the potatoes and stir them in.
- Some people prefer Miracle Whip to mayonnaise in the dressing. Personally, y'all know I am a Hellmann's mayonnaise girl but if your mom made it with Miracle Whip who am I to argue?
- If you like sweet pickle relish add in up to half a cup with the dressing.
👩🏻🍳 FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
If you've diced them ahead of time then you'll only need to boil them for about 5 minutes or until fork tender but not mushy.
No - homemade potato salad definitely doesn't freeze well! It will store in the refrigerator, tightly covered for up to 3 days.
You can make it up to 2 days ahead of time. It's actually a good idea to make it the day before - it tastes even better.
Of course the classics like hamburgers and hot dogs are always a good addition to the plate. I like my Better Than Popeye's Crispy Chicken Strips or Italian Beef Sandwiches with a scoop of homemade potato salad on the side!
📚 Related recipes
Easy side salads are just as good in January and they are in July!
- Old fashioned macaroni salad is another classic recipe.
- This BBQ macaroni salad is SO deliciously different! Try it with grilled chicken.
- Who could resist this crunchy Frito salad? Not me!
🍽️ Serve with...
Creamy potato salad is a good option to serve at any meal that features grilled meats and poultry.
- Grilled chicken with bourbon peaches is full of summer flavor!
- This bacon wrapped chicken breast is smoky and tangy - a perfect balance to the creamy side dish.
- Try it with old fashioned meatloaf - it's a nice change from mashed potatoes.
- Of course, it's required if you're making a chicken and sausage gumbo !
📞 The last word
My mom was from the midwest and I honestly never saw a lot of difference between her original potato salad recipe and southern recipes that I tried.
In Louisiana they tend to mash the potatoes up a bit, in the deep south they add pickle relish...
That's about it. Classic flavors.
One thing I do know, though. No matter where you go you're going to hear, my mom's potato salad was the best!
And it's true. No matter where you are from or who you are, your own mom's homemade potato salad recipe is the best.
Am I right?
If this easy recipe isn't exactly how your mom made it use it as a jumping off spot and work with it until you get it just right. After all, it's not just a recipe... it's a legacy.
...and it's one of my favorite recipes. Pretty sure you'll love it, too.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need. Don't forget that you can click on "add to collection" to save it to your own, private recipe box!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Mom's Homemade Potato Salad 🥔
Equipment Needed
Ingredients
- 2 pounds potatoes, peeled (if needed) and cut into chunks
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- ½ cup celery, diced small
- ¾ cup Vidalia onion, chopped small
- 3 hard-cooked eggs, chop 2, reserve 1
- paprika
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons evaporated milk, a little less or a little more
Instructions
- Bring eggs to a boil, cover and turn off heat. Set aside for 12 minutes.
- Peel and dice potatoes. If you're using Yukon gold no need to peel!
- Chop the onion and celery.
- Peel and chop the eggs.
- Cook potatoes in rapidly boiling, salted water for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until fork tender but not mushy. Drain.
- Mix the vinegar, mayonnaise, and mustard.
- Add enough evaporated milk to make it like a thin yogurt (think Yoplait). Taste and add sugar if needed.
- Mix the celery, onion, and cooked potatoes in a bowl and pour the dressing over. Taste and stir in salt and pepper as desired.
- Stir well and chill for at least 4 hours.
- Peel and slice remaining hard cooked egg. Arrange on top of the potato salad and sprinkle with paprika before serving.
Notes
- Instead of boiling potatoes in salted water boil them in chicken or vegetable bouillon for a pop of extra flavor.
- Add a little bbq sauce or hot sauce to the dressing for extra zing.
- Use red potatoes and/or red onions for more color.
- Some people prefer Miracle Whip to mayonnaise in the dressing. Personally, y'all know I am a Hellmann's girl but if your mom made it with Miracle Whip who am I to argue?
- If you like sweet pickle relish add in up to half a cup with the dressing.
- Always keep your potato salad COLD. Refrigerate until you are ready to serve, keep the bowl on ice if you're serving outside, and cover and put away leftovers promptly!
Nutrition Facts
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We'll never share your email or send you spam. Pinkie swear.First published June 2, 2020. Last updated February 28, 2022 to add more tips and FAQs.
Jake
So many no’s. Celery. Evaporated milk. This is not at all a traditional potato salad.
Marye
Maybe not yours... but I don't think you invented potato salad so there's that.... This recipe is the one my mom made through the 1930s - 1990s....
Suzie Waclawski
I’m glad to find this one I am a potato salad junkie! This is the same recipe I’ve been making since I was a teen. So over fifty years..yikes! Over the yrs I have tweak it here and there..red onions definitely adds flavor but bacon crumbles added in sends it over the top..
Janet Mills
This is similar to my recipe, which was my mom's! I just got a phone call from my up-the-road neighbor asking when I was going to be making my potato salad--he always gets a big container of it when I do--he loves it!
The main thing that I learned from my mom for all salads--potato, macaroni, tuna, egg, etc--is to use sweet pickle juice instead of vinegar--I end up begging friends for jars of pickle juice after they've eaten the pickles! The flavor it adds is amazing!
(Hubby likes dill pickle juice in ham salad!)
And I do my potatoes mashed--I'm unable to keep them in chunks, so I just give up!
Thanks for all of your wonderful recipes and ideas!
JOHN
The Carbohydrates must be a mistake,2 pounds of potatoes with 8 servings would be 4 ounces of of potato each and that alone would be around 4-5 grams of Carbs. even with 1 gram of fiber subtracted for net carbs.it would be 3-4 grams. Love your posts, copy most of you recipes for file to try soon or later; potato salad time in Texas for BBQ, Fish Fry,etc. Helmann's or homemade here.
Marye
They are. I've added a note at the bottom of the recipe. Thanks!
Deb Clark
Yum, this sounds fantastic! Just like my Mom's so that means it's GOOD! Love a great potato salad, it's always the perfect side dish!
Marye
Mom's is always the best!